Category: Uncategorized
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Watchclock 2.0
The latest Post Office podcast discusses a massive increase in mail thefts since the Trump torture camp. When most people were relying on mail and Amazon and DoorDash, organized crime grabbed the opportunity. Mail thefts, mostly for IDs and checks, increased by a factor of 2. Armed robberies of postmen increased by a factor of…
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Ponzi is a fake argument
Too many arguments sink into irrelevance when one side insists A is a Ponzi scheme and the other side says it isn’t. Bitcoin and Social Security are both called Ponzi at times. The definition of Ponzi is much more nuanced and fuzzy than we usually think. Intention is important. Two classic examples show the real…
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Another Post Office anniversary today
Yesterday was Neither Snow nor Rain Day. Today is also a notable point on the PO timeline. The Post Office podcasts feature several Firsts or attempted Firsts in postal transportation, including the first balloon flight in 1859. The PO could define routes and transport methods as suitable for mail. Every new development was soon postalized,…
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Today is & day!
Time to reprint again the genuine history of the symbol, which doesn’t match the standard etymology. = = = = = START REPRINT: I’ve always been bothered by the bizarre-sounding etymology of Ampersand. The symbol itself is no mystery: just a stylized version of et. But the usual etymology for the name doesn’t make a…
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The Swami
First of three old coin-op machines. Starting with an overview of the cafe and a rehash of the Swami fortune teller. = = = = = Here’s a downtown scene. The cafe is on a corner, the Kellogg printing plant is across the street, and an apartment hotel is on the other corner. Duplex tenant…
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The Recordio
Second of three old coin-op machines. Again approaching the cafe… Entering the cafe with two larger coin-op machines on the back wall. = = = = = I’ve always wanted to depict the Wilcox-Gay Recordio. When possible I try to model things I’ve used or seen. I first encountered Recordio disks in the ’50s. My…
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The Metal-typer
Third of three old coin-op machines. Setting the scene again: The metal-typer is another old coin-op I used a few times. Back around 1960 I used one of these to make a medallion while waiting in the Topeka train station. I kept the medallion for a long time but don’t remember what I engraved on…
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Neither Snow Nor Rain Day
Today is Neither Snow Nor Rain Day. Far as I can tell the post office isn’t noting this on its websites, so I’ll do it here. Never miss an opportunity to salute and thank the PO! The day started when the NYC PO was dedicated on 9/7/1914. The famous slogan is over the door of…
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Good news from Enid
The last time I heard, Enid’s only skyscraper was scheduled for demolition. A new owner is saving the Broadway Tower, and will turn it into part condos part offices. Enid is where my soul lives. A restoration there helps my soul. Broadway Tower is one of the beacons for Enid. When approaching from the east,…
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Proof not needed
Trillionth proof that media are shit. CBS News cites sources like the Universal Postal Union to say that foreign shipments to US have dropped by 80% since Trump partly eliminated the “de minimis” exemption for lower-value imports. The provision was originally meant for tourists bringing back souvenirs like a bottle of wine, but its threshold…
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Why didn’t this succeed?
Useful gadget seen in a 1923 issue of a Gernsback tech mag. A flashlight powered directly by a miniature generator. No rechargeable battery needed. Supposedly made in France. The light was in the end of the generator itself. The optional wire is a speculum used by doctors. The description isn’t complete; I’d guess the little…
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Not quite the right target
This author at First Things has an interesting proposal. The new pope, who started his rule with a powerful prophecy against Demon Altman, should set up a new Knights Templar to evangelize tech leaders. The Catholic Church’s urgent task extends far beyond merely inviting tech entrepreneurs, innovators, or tech investors to Vatican conferences on AI…
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Creative fights
Spokane’s methies are always finding new combinations of weapons. Today’s creation: 1100 East Glass, Assault Reported. Reported roommates fighting and one person hit with a guitar and a hatchet thrown at another. Guitar vs hatchet doesn’t win the award. Golf club vs milk is still on top of the rankings.
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New measuring standard
Since 2008 I’ve been vainly preaching the FDR gospel. If a ruler wants to improve his country, he doesn’t need to invent any new methods. Just copy FDR. Roosevelt faced ALL the same problems we have today, with different names and numbers. He didn’t get it right the first time, but he kept tirelessly experimenting,…
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Suckerfilterissimo
If Guinness gave awards for the greatest number of red flags in spam, this one would be in the running. 1. DocHub scams are well known. 2. Real email source doesn’t match alleged source at DocHub. 3. Supposedly I’m historical6 at ‘onmicrosoft.com’. Or does it say that I’m isabelladavis at gutkai.com? I know who I…
Polistra's Mill 